The Shadow
by Ama E. Cinoskham
Summary: What drives the Shadow Lord to do what it does? A rare look into the mind of Deltora's ultimate villian.


**Summary- **OneShot. He's (sorry, _It's_) the main villain of the series, but we never ever see it properly, let alone get an insight into what drives it to do what it does. From the Shadow Lord's point of view.

**Genre- **General, angst

**Disclaimer- **Deltora is not the Shadow Lord's, and nor is it mine, unfortunately.

**Author's Note- **This is set an undetermined number of years after the events of DQ3. I've left some parts, like Lief, Barda and Jasmine's deaths, vague on purpose. Read and review! No flames please.

**THE SHADOW**

**By Ama E. Cinoskham **

First of all, I would like to set one thing straight.

I am a human.

Or, that is to say, I _was. _Once, I was just like you. I felt joy, and love, and pain. I felt anger, and jealousy. But now, emotions are useless to me. They hold back progress, makes the strong weak. In my perfection, there is no room for weakness and that is why I always win.

But once, I could feel, and through that I know the main weakness of my enemies. I know of friendship, and loyalty. I know of love. I have used this knowledge countless times. To break the strongest souls. To cause people to turn to me because they feel they have nothing left. To lure Lief to my domain.

And yet he escaped my clutches, as he did countless other times. He took from me my prize, well-earned after hundreds of years careful planning. He ripped it cruelly and suddenly from my grasp. For sixteen years I had Deltora. But to I, who has lived one thousand lives, what is sixteen years?

I had tried once before that to invade Deltora. But the first time I was too impatient. I decided to strike when there were still imperfections in my plan. Adin found these imperfections. He managed to drive me away.

I was pushed back, but not defeated. Because after that, I learned my patience. I made my plans layered, so that even if one was ruined, like the delicate lines of spider webs it would do nothing but trigger another. And I, the spider, would lie in waiting, watching as my prey grew more and more tangled in my web, until at last it was time to strike.

You cannot deny I have style. Subtly, I ruled Deltora for hundreds of years. I ruled the minds of the kings and queens of Deltora through the Chief Advisors. But that would not do. No, I wanted total control. I wanted to be revealed as ruler. I wanted those pitiful humans to bow down to me, show me the respect I deserved.

And for a while, I had my wish. Then Lief came. Lief, with his two friends Barda and Jasmine.

I still do not understand how they managed to do what they did. How did they rip apart my perfect plan? For the first time, I doubted my power. I had to prove to myself that though those three had managed, through some formula of incredible luck and incompetence on my servants' path, to overthrow me, they were still just humans. I was still superior to them.

That was why I wanted to have their souls, their command, for all eternity. It would have been so satisfying, proved once and for all that no one could defeat the perfection that is me. But, again, they defied me. Death claimed all three, took them gently in her arms. I felt their spirits pass, and while Deltora wept, I revelled in a bittersweet victory. They were dead, but I had never claimed them for my own. I had never gotten my revenge.

I would have liked to have met them. Lief, especially. The boy fascinated me. In those months that I invaded his mind through the crystal, I grew to almost respect him. Not many could defy me the way he did, Belt of Deltora or no. If only Lief had let me into his mind, let me show him the way, he could have gone so far.

He almost reminded me of…me. Me as a boy. Fiery, impudent and presumptuous.

I no longer remember much of that time. I can not even tell you the name my parents gave me at my birth, so long ago. In any case, I do not think it would please you to know it. It would remind you that I was once one of you. It will remind you of what humans are capable of becoming. And it will make you question- was it inevitable I became what I did? Could anyone have done something- anything at all- to stop it?

Was I born evil, or did I become it?

I do not know, any more than you do.

But is it so bad, what I am? Everyone lusts for power, and glory. I have both. Why do you turn away from the path I have taken? Do you call me evil simply because you do not want others to realise you envy me?

Do not be afraid of me. I only want Deltora so that I can make it great. With me in control, Deltora could be the most powerful country in the world. War ships will launch from its shores to conquer new lands for its empire. Gems from the ground will be sold to make Deltora rich.

I am persistent. I will try again to invade Deltora. And this time, I will wait even longer. I will wait until the stories of me have passed from tale to legend to myth. I will wait until you think I am no longer a threat. Then I will rise again. And this time, I will prevail.


End file.
